Saturday, September 27, 2025

09/27 Links: The UN’s betrayal and Israel’s fight for truth; Trump's 21-point peace plan for Gaza; Holocaust survivor brings lived history to Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut

From Ian:

Yoav Gallant: The UN’s betrayal and Israel’s fight for truth
The latest U.N. report is a study in selective blindness. There are no details about Hamas’ tunnel network, no mention of their use of human shields, no serious accounting of the reality that their own rockets and booby-trapped buildings kill Gazans. There is only a passing mention of the Israelis murdered or kidnapped. Hamas-provided statistics are repeated as facts, Israeli actions are twisted, and humanitarian efforts are overlooked.

This commission began with its verdict pre-determined and pre-written. It ignores operational realities, the complexity of urban warfare, and the unprecedented standards Israel put in place. The accusations of genocide rest on misquotes and deliberate manipulation. There is no evidence that I, or any other IDF or defense official, have ever dehumanized Palestinians as a people. For me, the real fight is, and always has been, against terrorism.

The international community now faces a choice. It can allow the U.N. to remain a platform for bias and manipulation, or it can insist that truth and accountability guide its work. Israel asks for no favors, only fairness. If the U.N. wants to serve its founding mission, it must apply the same standards to all parties. It must not let humanitarian language be weaponized in service of terror.

The U.N. was established to prevent future horrors like the Holocaust. Today, it tolerates hate speech in its halls, undermines Israel’s right to defend itself, and emboldens those determined to bring further violence to the region. By abandoning fairness and truth, it betrays the original promise on which it was founded.

Israel will continue to defend itself, protect its people, and uphold its moral obligations, even when the world closes its eyes. History will show that when the U.N. gave cover to prejudice and to lies, the people of Israel stood unbowed, determined, and righteous.
The West's Blind Spot on the Muslim Brotherhood
The Brotherhood's well-funded network of charities, student groups and NGOs provide not only social services but also a political infrastructure for the movement's ideology. These networks have helped it to recruit and expand its influence among Muslim communities worldwide and to penetrate Western institutions — from universities and local councils to lobbying organisations, media outlets and even the church institutions.

Yet Western elected representatives, with few exceptions, continue to treat the Brotherhood as if it were simply a conservative religious charity movement. Some even partner with its front groups under the banner of "community engagement" or take part in their "interfaith dialogue" panels. This is a profound strategic error. The Brotherhood's long-term aim is to reshape societies from within, incrementally eroding the western liberal democratic norms that have helped the West flourish.

Despite a series of extensive and well-publicised inquiries — most notably the U.K. government's internal review commissioned by David Cameron — the proscription of the Muslim Brotherhood was abruptly shelved without any clear explanation. Led domestically by Charles Farr and internationally by Sir John Jenkins, the review described the Brotherhood as "a possible indicator of extremism" and criticised the secrecy of its operations in Britain, highlighting concerns over its fundraising, membership structures and influence in student groups and community organisations. Yet, despite these stark findings, the process fizzled out into nothing more than warnings, vague descriptors and policy recommendations. More than a decade later, no decisive action has been taken to proscribe the group, and no substantive update has been issued.

In the U.S., Senators Tom Cotton and Marco Rubio have become leading voices in pushing for the Muslim Brotherhood to be designated a terrorist organization under U.S. law. Cotton, along with other Republicans, has introduced legislation and sent letters calling on agencies like the IRS to investigate Muslim Brotherhood–linked groups such as CAIR for their nonprofit status, alleging financial ties to extremist causes. They have also co-sponsored the "Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025," which would require the President to designate the Brotherhood globally as a foreign terrorist organization and impose sanctions where criteria are met. Whether this bold effort will succeed — or, like Britain's stalled process, dissolve into reports and rhetoric without action — remains to be seen.

The West's failure to take this challenge seriously represents a grave danger to its own civilisation. Pretending the Muslim Brotherhood is merely another faith-based fundamentalist organisation is not "tolerance" — it is wilful blindness. As Algeria's bloody decade showed, ignoring the Brotherhood's true nature does not lead to coexistence but to chaos and bloodshed.

Right now, Israel is engaged in a war against Hamas, another offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, and a serious existential threat to the Jewish state. Unlike the other Arab states that were forced to crack down on the Muslim Brotherhood without fear of international condemnation, Israel is trying its best to conduct an ethical war. Yet it faces an unprecedented international backlash that other Arab states did not face — not just from naïve activists but even from the Western elected leaders.

Western policymakers must learn from the experience of those countries that have already paid the price of underestimating this movement — before it is too late.


‘Trump 21-point plan’ to end Gaza war presented to Arab states, Israel
Negotiations with Arab states and Israel regarding the future of Gaza are underway, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday night, speaking in the wake of reports of an ambitious 21-point peace plan put forth by Washington to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“We are having very inspired and productive discussions with the Middle Eastern Community concerning Gaza,” Trump said via Truth Social.

“All of the Countries within the Region are involved, Hamas is very much aware of these discussions, and Israel has been informed at all levels, including Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu,” he continued.

“Everyone is excited to put this period of Death and Darkness behind them. It is an Honor to be a part of this Negotiation. We must get the Hostages back, and get a PERMANENT AND LONGLASTING PEACE!”

On Tuesday, the Trump administration presented a 21-point plan to Arab leaders on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly annual general debate in New York, which would see a prompt release of all the remaining hostages, the transfer of power in the Strip to an intermediary Arab-led government, and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian enclave, according to CNN.

Saudi-based broadcaster Al Arabiya said it obtained a copy of the plan, citing several clauses from it on Friday.

These include:
An immediate end to the war in Gaza.
The unconditional release of all hostages.
The release of thousands of Palestinian terrorists, including 100 to 200 prisoners with blood on their hands.
The resumption of unrestricted aid delivered into Gaza by international organizations and the U.N., including the closure of the U.S.-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
The disarmament of Hamas by an international, Arab security force within a time-bound framework. Hamas terrorists who agree to these terms will receive safe passage to exit the Strip.
The international force will temporarily administer civilian issues in Gaza, with the Palestinian Authority eventually taking over.
The reconstruction of the Gaza Strip over a five-year time span, led by an international and Arab consortium.
The United States will have guarantees in place that Israel does not apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, with both Israeli and Palestinians agreeing to resume negotiations over a peace agreement that would end the decades-old conflict.

Other reports stated that the plan would move ahead even if Hamas rejects its terms, with the majority of the 21 points proceeding in terror-free zones conquered by the Israel Defense Forces.

The plan moreover reportedly emphasizes the de-radicalization of the Palestinian population, with the Palestinian Authority undergoing significant reform.
Revealed: US 21-point plan for ending Gaza war, creating pathway to Palestinian state
What are the 21 points?
The following are the contents of the plan, which have been paraphrased at the request of the sources who provided it.

1. Gaza will be a de-radicalized, terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.

2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of its people.

3. If Israel and Hamas agree to the proposal, the war will immediately end, with the IDF halting all operations and gradually withdrawing from the Strip.

4. Within 48 hours of Israel publicly accepting the deal, all living and deceased hostages will be returned.

5. Once the hostages are returned, Israel will free several hundred Palestinian security prisoners serving life sentences and over 1,000 Gazans arrested since the start of the war, along with the bodies of several hundred Palestinians.

6. Once the hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence will be granted amnesty, while members who wish to leave the Strip will be granted safe passage to receiving countries.

7. Once this agreement is reached, aid will surge into the Strip at rates no lower than the benchmarks set in the January 2025 hostage deal, which included 600 trucks of aid per day, along with the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure and the entry of equipment for removing rubble.

8. Aid will be distributed — without interference from either side — by the United Nations and the Red Crescent, along with other international organizations not associated with either Israel or Hamas.

The text of this clause appears intentionally vague and seemingly leaves an opening for the continued operation of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, as it technically is an American organization, even if it was the brainchild of Israelis linked to the government and was crafted to fit the Israeli government’s prosecution of the war.

9. Gaza will be administered by a temporary, transitional government of Palestinian technocrats who will be responsible for providing day-to-day services for the people of the Strip. The committee will be supervised by a new international body established by the US in consultation with Arab and European partners. It will establish a framework for funding the redevelopment of Gaza until the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program.

This is the US plan’s first mention of the Ramallah-based PA. Israel has ruled out the authority as a potential ruler of Gaza, thereby nixing what has become the key to recruiting Arab assistance in the post-war management of the Strip, given that the international community views unifying the West Bank and Gaza under a single, reformed governing body as essential for long-term stability and peace.

The apparent decision to reserve the PA’s role for an unspecified later date will likely be a difficult pill for Ramallah to swallow, but it also has limited leverage to bear in these discussions.

Point nine appears to borrow heavily from former UK prime minister Tony Blair’s plan for ending the war, which was first revealed by The Times of Israel earlier this month.

Blair and former White House senior adviser Jared Kushner have been working on the Gaza file for months, while advising Witkoff.

10. An economic plan will be created to rebuild Gaza through the convening of experts with experience in constructing modern Middle East cities and through the consideration of existing plans aimed at attracting investments and creating jobs.

11. An economic zone will be established, with reduced tariffs and access rates to be negotiated by participating countries.

12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, but those who choose to leave will be allowed to return. Moreover, Gazans will be encouraged to remain in the Strip and offered an opportunity to build a better future there.

13. Hamas will have no role in Gaza’s governance whatsoever. There will be a commitment to destroy and stop building any offensive military infrastructure, including tunnels. Gaza’s new leaders will commit to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.

14. A security guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas and other Gaza factions comply with their obligations and that Gaza ceases to pose a threat to Israel or its own people.

15. The US will work with Arab and other international partners to develop a temporary international stabilization force that will immediately deploy in Gaza to oversee security in the Strip. The force will develop and train a Palestinian police force, which will serve as a long-term internal security body.

16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza, and the IDF will gradually hand over territory it currently occupies, as the replacement security forces establish control and stability in the Strip.

17. If Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above points will proceed in terror-free areas, which the IDF will gradually hand over to the international stabilization force.

This is the first mention of the possibility that the deal could be at least partially implemented, even if Hamas doesn’t agree.

18. Israel agrees not to carry out future strikes in Qatar. The US and the international community acknowledge Doha’s important mediating role in the Gaza conflict.

19. A process will be established to de-radicalize the population. This will include an interfaith dialogue aimed at changing mindsets and narratives in Israel and Gaza.

20. When Gaza’s redevelopment has been advanced and the PA reform program has been implemented, the conditions may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian statehood, which is recognized as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.

The clause doesn’t provide details regarding the Palestinian reform program and is not definitive regarding when the pathway to statehood can be established.

21. The US will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful coexistence.
Alex Witkoff sought Qatari funds while his father engaged in hostage negotiations
Witkoff Group CEO Alex Witkoff solicited funds from Qatar while his father, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, was engaged in hostage talks with Doha, The New York Times reported on Friday.

A Witkoff Group spokesperson later reached out to The Jerusalem Post to deny the report, calling many of the claims made by the NYT "patently false," accusing the newspaper of "intentionally [choosing] not to include our full statement."

Alex Witkoff pitched the Qatari government a planned investment fund for commercial real estate projects in the US, a spokeswoman for Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund told the NYT.

Witkoff then told would-be investors that he had secured funds from government-backed sources from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait.

The NYT reported that the venture, which amounted to around $4 million, could have yielded hundreds of millions for the Witkoff Group.

Witkoff Group spokeswoman Anna LaPorte said that the family had shelved the “preliminary” plans with Doha.

“They are not moving forward with that fund,” she added.

Qatar Investment Authority spokeswoman Melanie Dunn confirmed to the NYT that Alex Witkoff had pitched to the sovereign wealth fund, but affirmed that investors on the Qatari side decided not to pursue the deal.

Special envoy Witkoff remains a partial owner of the group, although he sold a portion of his stake last year.


Netanyahu meets Emirati foreign minister in New York
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan met on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Friday.

The meeting “reviewed the latest regional developments and the efforts of the international community to end the war,” with Sheikh Abdullah stressing “the urgent need to bring an end to the bloody conflict in Gaza, reach a permanent and sustainable ceasefire, prevent further loss of life, and put an end to the crisis and the tragic conditions faced by civilians in the Gaza Strip,” according to a statement released by the UAE Foreign Ministry.

The top Emirati diplomat stressed Abu Dhabi’s “unwavering commitment to supporting all initiatives aimed at achieving a comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, in a way that fulfills the aspirations of both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples,” the statement added.

Sheikh Abdullah also reaffirmed the UAE’s “support for international efforts aimed at securing the release of all hostages and detainees, while emphasizing the importance of concerted global action to confront extremism and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and to safeguard the lives of all civilians.”

Jerusalem did not release a statement following the meeting.

Israel and the UAE normalized relations as part of the Trump-mediated Abraham Accords in 2020.


RFK Jr. advisor chased, assaulted at UN by crazed protester screaming ‘slut’ and ‘Free Palestine!’
A crazed lefty protester assaulted a senior advisor to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the United Nations this week, chasing her around the lobby and into a bathroom stall, screaming “slut!,” law enforcement sources said.

The unhinged encounter happened around 2 p.m. Thursday when Patricia Schuh, 62, allegedly shined a bright light in Sara Kennedy’s face while yelling “Free Palestine!” and pro-LGBT screeds and began chasing her across the lobby, the sources said.

Kennedy — who is not related to her boss at HHS — “ran to the bathroom then a bathroom stall to avoid Patricia but she followed her into the stall and scratched her right eye, possibly with her phone or jewelry,” the sources said.

The stunned staffer was treated by Emergency Medical Services at the scene and refused hospital treatment.

Schuh, who was allegedly filming Kennedy on her phone as she chased her, was charged with assault and harassment, the sources said.

She was arraigned on the charges Friday night and released because the charges weren’t bail eligible, according to a spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Kennedy endured a “harrowing assault …at the hands of a pro-Hamas leftist radical at the United Nations,” a spokesman for RFK Jr.’s office said in a statement.

“Sara has endured a lot over the course of the past three days,” the spokesman said.
Former U.N. Official Sued for Targeting U.S. Christian Firms that Support Israel
The United Nations' dogged pursuit of a Palestinian state, less than two years after the October 7th Hamas killings and kidnappings of Israelis in 2023, has, to a large extent, left no doubt about the anti-Israel sentiments of the world body.

The Heritage Foundation's Eugene Kontorovich is currently involved with a lawsuit that sheds more light on how U.N. officials, both past and present, work against Israel behind the scenes.

To see how the weapon of "lawfare" is used against Israel supporters, both Jewish and Christian, watch our interview with Kontorovich.


US revokes Colombian leader’s visa after he calls for global army to fight in Gaza
The US State Department said Friday it would revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro after an anti-Israel rally in New York, where he said he would open enlistment for Colombians to fight alongside the Palestinians in Gaza and called on other nations to join.

Amid recent US strikes on alleged Latin American drug traffickers, Petro also urged US troops to refuse to carry out US President Donald Trump’s orders.

A source from Petro’s office confirmed to AFP that Petro was traveling back to Bogota on Friday night. Petro has said he also has Italian citizenship and would not need a visa to enter the United States.

Petro, who was in New York to address the UN General Assembly, had “stood on a NYC street and urged US soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence,” the US State Department said in a post on X. “We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions.”

The South American country’s Interior Minister Armando Benedetti wrote on X Friday night that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visa should have been revoked rather than Petro’s.

“But since the empire protects him, it’s taking it out on the only president who was capable enough to tell him the truth to his face,” wrote Benedetti.

On his social media account, Petro shared a video of himself speaking Spanish to a large crowd through a megaphone Friday, with his translator then relaying his comments, calling on “nations of the world” to contribute soldiers for an army “larger than that of the United States.”

“I am going back to Colombia to open enlistment for Colombians to serve to fight in Gaza, and if I need to go and join to serve, I will. But this needs to happen among other nations,” he said.

“This is a matter of humanity, not just Palestinians,” Petro said at the demonstration. “If Palestine disappears, humanity does too. All nations should volunteer to serve this army to save the world’s humanity.”


IDF, Shin Bet kill Hamas terrorist who killed Israeli officer Arnon Zamora
The IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) killed Mohammed al-Jamal, the Hamas terrorist who killed Israeli officer Arnon Zamora, the military announced Saturday evening.

Zamora was mortally wounded in a rescue operation that brought back hostages Noa Argamani, Almog Meir, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv from captivity in Gaza, which was later dubbed "Operation Arnon" in his honor.

Zamora was the only Israeli soldier to be killed in the operation. His widow, Michal, said, "I know that for many of the soldiers, and perhaps also for many of the people of Israel, this is about settling scores," KAN quoted her as saying. "For me, there is no consolation in the fact that he is dead, because it doesn't change the reality of my life in any way."

Terrorist Sari Idris Muhammad al-Aqrab also killed
Jamal was one of the guards who kept the hostages in captivity. Additionally, the IDF killed Sari Idris Muhammad al-Aqrab, another Hamas terrorist who invaded the country on October 7 and was a close associate of Jamal.

The Israeli military struck both of them following information provided to it by the Shin Bet.

Operation Arnon
Operation Arnon, which took place in June of 2024, was also a joint IDF and Shin Bet operation. It involved several days of Kfir Brigade activity, with support from the Paratroopers Brigade and a specialized Duvdevan Unit team, prior to its initiation.

According to then-IDF Spokesperson Rr.-Adm. Daniel Hagari, when the operation was executed, IDF and Yamam troops infiltrated two facilities while taking fire from terrorists.

It was during this phase that Zamora was wounded. He died later after being evacuated to a hospital. He was 36 years old when he was killed and left behind a wife and two children.


IDF says 780,000 have fled Gaza City; Hamas says dozens killed in unrelenting strikes
Around 780,000 Palestinians have so far evacuated Gaza City to the Strip’s south, the Israel Defense Forces said Saturday, as the military intensified its offensive to capture the Palestinian enclave’s largest city and defeat the remaining Hamas forces. Palestinians reported dozens killed in unrelenting strikes, as tanks pushed into the heart of the city.

“Gaza City is emptying because its residents realize that the military operation is escalating and that moving south is for their safety,” said Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman.

“We call on you to move to the humanitarian area in al-Mawasi as soon as possible and to join more than 750,000 of the city’s residents who left in recent days and weeks for their safety,” he added.

Around one million Palestinians were estimated to be residing in Gaza City before the IDF launched the major offensive earlier this month. Civilians have been ordered to evacuate to an Israeli-designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza.

The rate of Palestinians leaving the area has risen in the past week, as the IDF advances deeper into Gaza City.

According to the army, the Israeli Air Force struck some 120 targets in the Gaza Strip over the past day, including buildings used by terror groups, terror operatives and other infrastructure.


WFP’s McCain: Israel Isn’t Prioritizing Feeding People, Can’t Say Same About Hamas Even Though They’ve Stolen Aid
During an interview with PBS’s “Firing Line” released on Friday, World Food Programme Executive Director Cindy McCain said that she “can’t comment” on whether Hamas has the best interests of Palestinian civilians even though they have intercepted aid before, but she can say Israel isn’t prioritizing feeding Palestinians.

Host Margaret Hoover asked, [relevant exchange begins around 24:00] “Has the Israeli government, in your view, prioritized feeding Palestinians?”

McCain answered, “I don’t think so. I wish I could say — we, if — when we’re in there, it’s prioritized because we get the food to where it [needs to] go. So, I think, again, it comes back to this one word, access, that I keep saying, because we can’t do it unless we can get in at scale.”

Hoover followed up, “So if they were prioritizing it, they would give you access?”

McCain responded, “Probably, yeah.”

Hoover then asked, “So, do you think, conversely, Hamas has the best interests of Palestinian civilians in Gaza?”

McCain answered, “I can’t comment on that. Like I said, we don’t work with Hamas. And we don’t work in any way with any of those organizations. Our job is to feed. Our job is to make sure that, not just nutrition gets in, but that we get in medicine, we get in infant feedings, because that’s different than food aid. It’s just — famine is more than just food. Famine’s disease, famine is water, sanitation, all those things, and medicine. … And so, that’s why we all need to be able to get in.”

Earlier in the interview, [relevant remarks begin around 21:25] McCain said, “We’ve seen no evidence of Hamas intercepting anything. And the one time we did, we reported it fast.”


BBCIsrael-Premier Tech cycling team excluded from Giro dell'EmiliaThe Israel-Premier Tech cycling team are excluded from next month's Giro dell'Emilia in Bologna over public safety concerns..5 hours ago
Israel Premier Tech has been barred from competing in the prestigious Giro dell’Emilia race in Italy, with organizers citing “public safety” concerns.

Adriano Amici, president of the organizing company, announced the decision Saturday, telling AFP: “We were forced to make a difficult choice: the team will not line up at the start. The atmosphere is too tense, the risk of disruptions is too high, and we had no other option.” He noted that the race’s final circuit, featuring five climbs, could become a flashpoint for unrest.

The move came after Bologna’s city council, led by the Democratic Party, urged the exclusion of the Israeli squad over what it called “serious war crimes committed by Israel’s government in Gaza.” The city’s deputy mayor for sports, Roberta Li Calzi, praised the step, saying: “The presence of a team linked to the Israeli government is problematic in light of what is happening in Gaza.”

During Spain’s Vuelta in August, anti-Israel protests targeting the team forced organizers to shorten four stages, including the final one in Madrid, after large demonstrations disrupted the race.

AFP also reported that the Israeli team, owned by billionaire Sylvan Adams, could face future demands to change its name and remove the word “Israel.”


Brendan O'Neill: What Kneecap said is far worse than you think
I like to laugh at Kneecap. They fancy themselves as rebels when in truth they’re fawned over by every wing of the British establishment. They larp as edgy rule-breakers and yet the most bourgeois organ on Earth – the Guardian – can’t get enough of them. They imagine themselves as a cross between NWA and Padraic Pearse and yet their fanbase are pink-haired posh girls consumed by a curious loathing for the world’s only Jewish State. They’re scowling jesters to the court of received opinion. They’re the cultural elite’s in-house moral fluffers. They’re correct-think in a balaclava.

Yet I’ll tell you what isn’t funny — their Hamas flirting. We have heard so much bunkum today about the Kneecap case. It was an attempt to silence those who ‘speak out against the Israeli genocide in Gaza’, said Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill. Kneecap’s victory is a win for ‘everyone speaking out against Israel’s genocide’, said Owen Jones. What delusional self-flattery to depict criticism of Israel as a risky position when in truth you can’t swing a tote bag in polite society these days without hitting 10 cunts in keffiyehs clinking their glasses of merlot over their shared loathing for the world’s only Jewish State.

No, Mo Chara was in court not for hating Israel, the mandatory ideology of the leafy suburbs, but for allegedly praising a proscribed organisation. I don’t think he should have been in court at all, but can we at least be honest about why he was? Let’s cut the crap. Here’s my question for O’Neill, Jones and all the others gushing over brave Kneecap. If a band celebrated the murder of 1,200 black people by a white-supremacist army, would you defend them? If a rapper posed with a book that referred to black people as monkeys, would you cheer him on? If a pop act said ‘Up the KKK’, would you laud them? No more nonsense – just a simple yes or no, please.


Jennifer Lawrence condemns Gaza ‘genocide’ at Spain’s San Sebastian film festival
Oscar-winning US actress Jennifer Lawrence accused Israel of genocide in Gaza as she took questions from journalists Friday at Spain’s San Sebastian Film Festival.

“I’m terrified. It’s mortifying. What’s happening is no less than a genocide and it’s terrible,” said the star of “Silver Linings Playbook,” “American Hustle” and “Joy,” when a reporter asked how worried she was for her children’s future given that “kids are dying” in Gaza, Ukraine and other countries.

Lawrence’s comments appeared to only address Israel’s war against Hamas. Israel rejects charges of genocide and says it takes steps to mitigate harm to civilians in the war sparked by the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023.

In her response, Lawrence also called out what she described as lying and a lack of empathy in her own country’s politics.

“I’m terrified for my children, for all of our children,” she said, adding that “this disrespect and the discourse in American politics right now is going to be normal.”

For the younger generation, “it’s going to be totally normal to them that politics has no integrity,” she said. “Politicians lie, there’s no empathy, and everybody needs to remember that when you ignore what’s happening on one side of the world, it won’t be long until it’s on your side as well.”


Eliminated with 83 bombs: Intelligence Directorate reveals details of Nasrallah's final days
Former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah spent his final days in a bunker built with Iranian technology, the IDF Intelligence Directorate revealed on Saturday.

The terror chief was killed in an Israeli strike after the infamous beeper operation and the killing of Hezbollah official Ibrahim Aqil.

Nasrallah remained in place and attempted to plan counterattacks and rebuild the terror organization's capabilities from the bunker, according to the directorate. Nasrallah was also reportedly unaware that he was the next target of an Israeli strike.

Using the intelligence gathered over the years, the Intelligence Directorate was able to accurately pinpoint the location of the bunker.

IAF hits bunker with 83 bombs at same time, Intelligence Directorate says
The operation that killed the Hezbollah leader saw the IAF strike the bunker with 83 bombs simultaneously, which killed Nasrallah as well as Hezbollah's Southern Front Commander Ali Karaki, alongside several other Hezbollah officials.

"We will reach them all, continue with the same professionalism, maintain the same composure, we are on the right path," said IAF Commander Tomer Bar.
Hezbollah marks one year since longtime terror leader Nasrallah was killed by IDF
Lebanon’s Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah on Saturday will commemorate one year since its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed by Israel.

Crowds are expected to gather in Hezbollah strongholds in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon’s south and east. The group’s secretary-general, Naim Qassem, who took over a month after Nasrallah’s killing, will make an address.

Tensions over the commemoration have been mounting this week, particularly after Hezbollah projected the portraits of Nasrallah and his slain designated successor, Hashem Safieddine, on the famed towering rocks off the coast of Beirut.

Despite orders to the contrary by Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and the Beirut governor, the display went ahead, angering Lebanese opponents of Hezbollah who said the cliffs should not be used for political displays. Killing came amid escalation of IDF operations in Lebanon

On the evening of September 27, 2024, a string of Israeli bunker-busting bombs on a Hezbollah complex in Beirut’s southern suburbs killed Nasrallah, who had led the powerful Shi’ite terror group for more than 30 years.

Israel’s ensuing air and ground campaign in Lebanon prevented a formal burial for Nasrallah for months. Followers, including his son, have since flocked to his grave to pray.


Iran: US demand to hand over all enriched uranium for sanctions relief ‘unacceptable’
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday slammed as “unacceptable” what he described as US demands that Tehran hand over its enriched uranium, as sweeping UN sanctions loomed after nuclear talks collapsed.

Earlier this month, the UN nuclear watchdog reported that Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60 percent had risen to an estimated 440.9 kilograms as of June 13, an increase of 32.3 kilograms since May 17.

Iran, whose leaders are sworn to Israel’s destruction, denies seeking nuclear weapons, but has enriched uranium to levels that have no peaceful application.

Though Iran allowed inspectors back into its sites, Western powers said they saw insufficient progress to justify delaying sanctions, after a week of top-level diplomacy at the UN General Assembly.

European powers triggered the “snapback” mechanism a month ago, accusing Tehran of failing to comply with requirements over its nuclear program — including through countermeasures it launched in response to Israeli and US strikes on military and nuclear targets in June.

Pezeshkian on Saturday told reporters in New York that Washington had asked Tehran to relinquish all of its enriched uranium in exchange for a three-month reprieve from sanctions.

The United States “wants us to hand over all our enriched uranium to them, and in return they would give us three months” exemption from sanctions, Pezeshkian told reporters in New York before leaving for Tehran.

“This is by no means acceptable,” he said.

He previously said France had made a similar proposal, offering only a one-month delay.

“Why would we put ourselves in such a trap and have a noose around our neck each month?” he asked, accusing the United States of pressuring Europeans not to compromise.
Israelis receive calls with recorded messages trying to recruit Iranian agents
The National Cyber Directorate said Saturday it was investigating multiple reports from Israelis who received calls with recorded Hebrew messages trying to recruit, threaten and intimidate them.

According to the Ynet news site, one of the recordings claimed to be from Iranian intelligence, looking to recruit agents.

“Iranian intelligence is looking for official agents — competitive salary, comprehensive security. Find us on Telegram and the internet,” one of the recordings said, as quoted by Ynet.

An unnamed man told the outlet that he and his wife received a call in which they were offered financial payment if they were to enlist as an agent for Iran.

The cyber directorate warned people not to answer calls from numbers that began 03-6817 and 03-3067, and to disconnect immediately if answered inadvertently.

However, the National Cyber Directorate emphasized that simply answering the call would not damage the phone.

Police said that people who received the calls should immediately block the number and report it to law enforcement authorities.

Dozens of cases have come to light over the past two years in which Iranian agents have successfully recruited Israelis into espionage schemes via social media, specifically the Telegram messaging app. Most of the accused spies start out with innocuous tasks that gradually grow into more serious offenses, like intelligence gathering and assassination plots.

The growing number of Iranian agents has even prompted Israel to open up a new wing for them in Haifa’s Damon prison.


Man wearing Star of David kicked, beaten, nearly thrown off tram in Germany by unknown attacker
A man wearing a Star of David was attacked on a tram in Erfurt, Germany, on Friday, according to Thuringian Police.

At around 6:35 a.m., an unknown attacker boarded the tram and noticed the Jewish passenger wearing his Star of David. The attacker then insulted the victim, attempted to pull him off the train, and kicked him several times in the side of the body.

The attacker left the tram after failing to pull the victim off the train. One stop later, the victim left the tram, but was once again met by the attacker who threatened and beat him again before fleeing.

The attacker has yet to be caught, but is believed to be white, German and around 30 years old.

According to some German media reports, the victim's Star of David was torn from his neck.

State gov't. denounce 'obviously antisemitic' attack
The Thuringian state government condemned the "obviously antisemitic attack in the strongest possible terms."

The Jewish State Community said it is not sure whether the victim is Jewish, but that it has contacted him to invite him to the regional community.


Holocaust survivor Rita Zohar brings lived history to Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut
When Rita Zohar stepped into the role of Bessie Stern, a Holocaust survivor whose death sets in motion Scarlett Johansson’s new film “Eleanor the Great,” she wasn’t simply acting.

Zohar, 81, is a childhood survivor of the Holocaust. She was also drawing on her lived experience of loss and resilience to bring life to her character.

“This role in this movie has given me a voice,” Zohar told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “Even though this is not my story, this is not what happened to me or my family, but still, by being able to verbalize it, I connected to Bessie, and I became Bessie in the film.”

“Eleanor the Great,” Johansson’s directorial debut, stars 95-year-old Jewish actress June Squibb as she seeks connection in New York City following the death of her best friend Bessie. Feeling isolated, Squibb’s character, Eleanor Morgenstein, winds up joining a support group for Holocaust survivors at the local Jewish community center.

There, when pressed by the group’s members to share her story, Morgenstein tells Bessie’s story as her own, which Zohar orates in her own words.

“At one point, they asked her, and they kind of pressure her to tell her story, and without any intention to lie, she starts telling the story as if it was hers,” said Zohar. “And then what happens in the movie is that she starts the first sentence, and then I appear and I tell the story.”

That choice, according to the script’s author Tory Kamen, was intentional. In an interview with Hey Alma, Kamen said the character Bessie was named after her grandmother’s best friend in Florida who is a Holocaust survivor.

“Another thing that was important to me was that we never really saw Eleanor telling Bessie’s story. I wanted that to be from Bessie’s mouth. That story should only be told by Bessie,” Kamen said. “And Rita Zohar, who plays Bessie, is a Holocaust survivor herself, and does an unbelievable job.”

Morgenstein’s story echoes others who have also falsely portrayed themselves as survivors. In 2016, a Pennsylvania man publicly apologized after giving speeches claiming to have survived Auschwitz, and in 2019, a German historian was outed for fabricating a family history of suffering in the Holocaust.

Later on in the film, Morgenstein’s story is picked up by a young journalism student played by Erin Kellyman, whose father’s efforts to learn more about her story threaten to reveal her dishonesty.

For Johansson, who broke down in tears on the PBS show “Finding Your Roots” in 2017 after learning her family had perished in the Warsaw Ghetto, the movie had a special resonance.

“A lot of my family history was lost and it wasn’t until many years later that I was actually able to connect with my family heritage,” Johansson said in a red carpet interview at the Toronto Film Festival. “I think because of that, this story really resonated with me. These survivors’ stories are lost, there are organizations like Shoah that are committed to documenting them for future generations and their work is so important. I hope that this film really encourages people to ask questions of their relatives and to keep their stories alive.”
ELEANOR THE GREAT | Official Trailer (2025)



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